Police have identified a man whose body was found in the River Avon at Evesham last month.

Officers were called to the Weir Meadow Caravan Park in Castle Street on Wednesday 19 February when a member of the public spotted a body in the river that had been caught up on a boat mooring.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service sent a boat crew to recover the man, who appeared to have been in the water for some days.

West Mercia Police released a nationwide appeal for the public’s help to discover his identity, including releasing photos of his clothes.

It is a relief we have confirmed who this man is and his family can now start grieving for their loved one.

“I would like to thank those people from across the country who contacted us with information about who this gentleman may have been.”

– Detective Sergeant Craig Tennant, West Mercia police

During a police search of the river bank looking for further clues, a rucksack was found that belonged to a man in his 50s from Cheltenham. Using DNA technology it was confirmed he was the deceased man.

His next of kin have been informed and the Coroner for Worcestershire has been updated.

An inquest is due to take place into a father and son who drowned in Warwickshire. Julian Mynott aged 42 and his 3-year-old son Freddie died in Barford in 2012 when their rowing boat capsized on the River Avon.

The accident happened on May 12, Julian's other children were also in the boat when it overturned and were rescued from the water by a local resident and a police officer before being taken to hospital.

Warwickshire Police have formally named the father and son who died in a boating accident on the River Avon at Barford, near Warwick on Saturday as Julian Mynott, 42, who lived in High Street, Barford and his 3-year-old son Freddie.

Mr Mynott's other two children were rescued after their boat overturned. They haven't been named but a boy aged seven has been released from hospital.

His six-year-old sister remains in hospital under observation but have both made remarkable recoveries following their ordeal.

“We are all devastated by what has happened, but I want to thank my neighbours and all the people from the community who have helped and offered support, and the many people who have sent good will messages.

“The children’s school in particular has been very helpful and supportive at this difficult time, for which we are very grateful.

“I would also like to express my immense gratitude to everyone involved in the massive effort on Saturday evening to rescue my family.

I would like to thank all the emergency services and all other agencies who were there, and who have become involved since.

“Our appeal now is to be allowed our privacy, which we know that many people have already respected, in order that we can be allowed to grieve and to come to terms with what has happened.”